Utah energy advocates discuss alternative fuel vehicles

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Public Service Commission met at the Utah State Capitol Wednesday to talk about what needs to be done to improve Utah’s air quality.

According to the Utah Public Service Commission, more than 50 percent of unhealthy smog in Utah’s urban cities comes from tailpipe emissions, so switching to an alternative fuel vehicle was the top message at Wednesday’s meeting.

In an effort to spread the message about how alternative vehicles work, energy advocates invited electric vehicle owners to share their experiences.

Electric vehicle owner Cheryl Loveless shared her electric vehicle story with FOX 13. She said she had her reservations about the vehicle at first, but found that the car fits her family’s lifestyle.

“To me it’s like comparing and iPad to a desktop computer,” Loveless said. “It’s just so user-friendly.”

Most electrical vehicle owners have their own charging stations at home, so it is convenient to recharge, but there are at least 30 charging stations scattered across the state, and most are free.

Energy advocates said switching to electric cars is just one piece of the puzzle to solving Utah’s air quality problems. They said they have a long road to go, but it’s a good first step.